‘Im unbelievably gutted for the players’ – Crawford

IRISH hearts were broken in Trieste last night as Jim Crawford’s u21’s were held 1-1 by Italy thus failing to qualify for a maiden European Championships by the slimmest of margins.

In the city where James Joyce once lived in for 15 years, Ireland knew the task at hand before the game, win and a maiden tournament at this level awaits, anything else and they will have to rely on Norway dropping points at home to the Turks to go through in second place.

This group of players have suffered the highest of highs and the lowest of lows throughout this campaign, from the late Aidomo Emakhu winner in Turners Cross at the very beginning of the campaign to the 90+6-minute equaliser by their opponents in Cork, but the belief has never wavered.

Ireland started the game with that belief and had multiple early chances, but an early Cesare Casadei put a stop to their momentum.

Wilfried Gnonto’s skied penalty meant the Italian job was still a runner, and a brilliant finish from Andrew Moran on 66 minutes put the wind back in the Irish sails.

Portsmouth striker Mark O’Mahony came on as Jim Crawford pushed for that elusive winner to send his side to the finals in Slovakia next year but it wasn’t to be.

Norway dispatched Turkey 5-1 to take their place at next years tournament ahead of Ireland in the group.

It is a cruel end to the campaign, in particular considering the controversial Norwegian goal in Cork last week, but Jim Crawford remains proud of his young Irish side.

Speaking after the game Ireland Under-21 Head Coach Jim Crawford said: “I thought the boys were magnificent. We said to ourselves that we won’t sit off them, we’ll get after them.

“We knew they’d have a spell but in the second half we were excellent and if you look at how Italy set-up, throwing five at the back and wasting time, it was interesting to see.

“But I’m unbelievably gutted for the players and for the staff who have worked incredibly hard since the campaign started.”

“We knew the group was going to be tough, but we had faith the players would come good and if you see the performance we have produced against a top Italian team it shows the quality we have. That, and the fact we have six players in the squad who can go again next campaign, are the one of the positives from this evening.”